COMPUTER INTERFACE DEVICE

Abstract: An interface device (20) for a computer (22) to an external device includes two separate but interconnecting parts. A card (26) includes a connector to the computer (22), an information storage device memory (38), a peripheral interface circuit (36), and a connector (40) to a cable (28). The cable (28) includes a connector to the card (26) in a first housing (42) at one end of the cable (28). A second housing (44) at the other end of the cable (28) includes a connector (50) to the external device, and interfacing circuitry to the external device. In one application, the connector in the second housing (44) of the cable (28) connects to a telephone jack, and the second housing (44) also contains a modem (52) and telephone isolation circuitry (54). Information transmitted across the telephone lines is stored in the memory (38) of the card (26).

Description: Computer Interface Device Technical Field This invention relates to a device for interfacing a computer to an external accessory or system, and, more particularly, for interfacing a portable, battery-powered computer to the telephone system while minimizing the power consumption of the portable computer. Background Art Laptop, subnotebook, and palmtop computers are portable computers that operate from battery power when plug-in power is not available. These computers are small in size, and the designers seek to minimize power consumption in order to save on battery weight and size. The small size typically results in only a small number of external ports—usually 1 or 2 ports—available for connection to external devices. The ports for these computers are typically in the form of slots that receive a PCMCIA interface card, according to the presently most widely used approach. Computers can interface to the external telephone system through modems, allowing the computers to communicate directly with other computers, and with networks and systems, throughout the world. Internal modems and stand-alone modems are used freely with desk-top computers. However, the power consumption of modems may limit their use with battery-powered portable computers. The limited number of external communication slots also inhibits the use of some portable computers when used in conjunction with the telephone system. For example, the user of a portable computer with only one external communication slot may wish to interface to the telephone system and receive a download of a large amount of data. If the amount of data exceeds the internal capacity of the computer, the computer must store • the excess data on an external storage device, which itself is accessible only through a communication slot. The user is then faced with the problem that the limited number of communication slots prevents simultaneous downloading of a large amount of data into the computer and the storing of the data on an external storage device. Disclosure of Invention The present invention provides a device for interfacing a computer to an external accessory or system, with principal interest in interfacing to the telephone system. The device permits the user to --1 communicate amounts of data in excess of the computer's internal storage capacity with the telephone system, using only a single communication port or slot connector. It may also assist in minimizing power consumption of the computer by utilizing power from the external system to operate much of the interface. In accordance with the invention, an interface device for a computer having a computer interface connector comprises a plug-in card and a separable cable connector system. There are located in the plug-in card and cable connector system a first card interface connector configured to engage the computer interface connector, a peripheral interface circuit communicating with the first card interface connector, an information storage memory communicating with the peripheral interface circuit, and a second card interface connector communicating with the peripheral interface. There is a first housing at a first end of the cable connector system, the first housing having a first cable interface connector configured to engage the second card interface connector, and a second housing at a second end of the cable connector system, the second housing having a second cable interface connector. A modem communicates with the peripheral interface circuit, and an isolation circuit is disposed between the second cable interface connector and the modem to permit data communication between the second cable interface connector and the modem. In this interface device having two separable parts, the computer interface and a memory are placed on the plug-in card. The memory may be of any type, but is preferably of the type that stores data in bulk form in an economical, high-density fashion. Such a memory now available is termed a "silicon disk drive" in the art. A high-capacity random access memory can also be used. It is expected that other types of such storage devices will be developed in the future. The present invention is operable with all such memory devices. The telephone connector and modem are placed into the cable portion of the interface device in one embodiment, but the modem can alternatively be placed on the plug-in card. The modem communicates directly with the telephone system under control of the computer. In some designs, the modem may draw its power from the telephone system, not from the computer. In such an approach, the power consumption of the modem is isolated from the computer and its battery power supply, although of course the information transferred over the modem is available to the computer. This architecture permits communication of larger amounts of data than the internal storage of the computer permits, by storing the data in the card mass memory. Only a single computer slot or port is required, because the single plug-in card provides the pathway for telephone communications and access to mass storage. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a schematic circuit drawing of the preferred form of the interface device of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the interface device; and Figure 3 is a schematic circuit drawing of a second embodiment of the interface device of the invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Figure 1 is a block diagram of a preferred interface device 20 according to the present invention. Figure 2 shows the external physical appearance of the interface device 20. The interface device is intended to be used with a computer 22 having a computer interface connector 24. In a most preferred use, the computer 22 is a small portable computer capable of battery-powered operation, such as a laptop, subnotebook, or palmtop computer. These computers have the greatest restrictions on available battery power and number of external connector ports or slots, and it is with such computers that the present invention finds its greatest utility. The interface device 20 includes a plug-in card 26 that plugs into the computer interface connector 24, and a cable connector system 28. The plug-in card 26 is in the physical form of a card because the computer interface connector 24 is typically located at the base of a slot in the face of the computer 22. The cable connector system 28 plugs into the plug-in card 26 at a first end 30, and into an external device or system at a second end 32. In the most preferred application, the external device or system is the telephone system, and the second end 32 plugs into a telephone jack. The plug-in card 26 includes a first card interface connector 34 that separably mates with the computer interface connector 24. As shown in Figure 2, the connector 34 is typically in the form of a row of pins and pin receivers. In the preferred form of the invention, the computer interface connector 24 and the first card interface connector 34 are the mating parts of a PCMCIA bus connector. Such connectors are available commercially, as for example the Model 171651-2 made by AMP. The plug-in card 26 further has a peripheral interface circuit 36 that communicates with the computer 22 through the mated connectors 24 and 34. The peripheral interface circuit 36 interfaces the PCMCIA bus in the computer 22 to the IC card logic for control of all functions on the card 26 and the cable connector 28. The circuit 36 is preferably of the PCMCIA format. Such circuits 36 are available commercially, as for example the model 3042 made by Xilinx. The card 26 has a built-in information storage memory 38 that is accessible through the peripheral interface circuit 36. Any type of memory is acceptable, as long as it physically fits on the card 26 and does not require excessive power for its operation. Random access memory may be used. More preferably, however, the memory 38 is a solid state, semiconductor, bulk storage device. Such a memory device is a silicon disk drive such as the Model TC584000 16 megabite NAND flash memory available from Toshiba. The field of solid state, semiconductor memories continues to advance, and it is expected that new types of memory devices operable as the memory 38 will become available in the future. The present invention is compatible with the use of such advanced memory devices. The card 26 has a second card interface connector 40 that communicates with the peripheral interface circuit 36. The second card interface connector 40 may be of any operable type that is physically compatible with the card. The preferred second card interface connector 40 is an IC card/cable connector. Such connectors 40 are available commercially, such as the Model A1676 made by Omnetics. The connectors 34 and 40, the peripheral interface circuit 36, and the memory 38 are selected to fit on a card-sized base such as shown in Figure 2. The card slides into the slots available on many smaller portable computers. As an example of the current approach using the PCMCIA format, the card 26 is preferably 2.126 inches by 3.370 inches by 0.130 inches in size. The interface device 20 also includes the cable connector system 28. The cable connector system 28 is in the form of a flexible, elongated cable having a first housing 42 at the first end 30, a second housing 44 at the second end 32, and an insulated electrical conductor 46 extending from the first housing 42 to the second housing 44. The first housing 42 contains a first cable interface connector 48, which is separably matable with the second card interface connector 40 of the card 26. The connector 48 is therefore the other half of the IC card/cable connector 40 discussed above. The second housing 44 contains a second cable interface connector 50. The connector 50 is selected to be compatible with the external apparatus or system to which the computer is to be interfaced. In the preferred case, the computer 22 is to be interfaced with the commercial telephone system through the interface device 20. The connector 50 is therefore chosen to be compatible with a commercial telephone jack. Such a connector 50 is available commercially as a female RJ11 connector such as the Model SS6456-NF from Stewart. A modem 52 is contained within the second housing 44. The modem 52 is in communication with the connector 48. A preferred modem is a type 24/96 modem available commercially as the Model SC11044CQ from Sierra Semiconductor. The power waveforms of the telephone line should not be permitted within the computer 22 and the card 36. A telephone isolator circuit 54 is therefore provided between the modem 52 and the connector 50 to isolate the modem 52 from the telephone line. The circuit 54 permits the data signals to be communicated between the modem 52, on the one hand, and the connector 50 and the telephone system, on the other. The telephone isolator circuit 54 is of the transformer type, and is available commercially as the Model 73M9001 from TDK. In operation, the card 26 is plugged into the slot on the computer 22 that has the connector 24. The circuit 36 and memory 38 are then in communication with the computer. The first cable interface connector 48 of the cable communication system 28 is plugged into the second card interface connector 40, so that the second cable interface connector 50 is in communication with the computer 22, via the card 26, the connector 48, the conductor 46, the modem 52, and the isolator circuit 54. Equally importantly, the connector 50 is in communication with the memory 38 by way of the circuit 36. To send data over the telephone system, the computer transmits data from its own internal memory to the modem 52 (by way of the described intervening components), and thence to the connector 50 and the telephone system. Alternatively, the computer may transmit data from the memory 38, through the circuit 36, and thence to the modem 52, the connector 50, and the telephone system. In this latter case, the amount of data transmitted by the computer is not limited by the size of the internal memory of the computer. In a similar fashion over the inverse of the above-described path, information may be transmitted from the telephone system to either the internal memory of the computer 22 or to the memory 38. In the latter case, the amount of data received is not limited by the size of the internal memory of the computer. In a sense, the data transmitted to the memory 38 is not transmitted "to" the computer, because the card 26 is not a part of the computer. However, the data stored in the memory 38 is available to the computer 22 as long as the card 26 remains plugged into the connector 24. It is envisioned that the interface device 20 will be used by connecting the card 26 to the computer 22, and connecting the cable connector system 28 to the card 26. The cable connector system 28 is connected to an external apparatus or system, such as the telephone system, and information transmitted to or from the external apparatus or system. The cable connector system 28 is then disconnected from the external system and the card 26. The card 26 remains connected to the computer 22 in its slot, particularly if the data received exceeded the available internal storage capacity of the computer and was stored in the memory 38. This process could be repeated using different cards 26 if the user wished to receive and store different types of information in different memories 38, for later accessing by the computer 22. The present invention provides an advance in the use of small-sized portable computers with limited numbers of external communication ports and limited available power. The interface device 20 is relatively inexpensive, particularly in view of the separation of functions into the two separable units 26 and 28. The user need purchase only one of the cable connector systems 28, but can use as many cards 26 as necessary. Figure 3 illustrates another embodiment of the interface device 20. This embodiment includes the same components as that shown in Figure 1 , and these components are correspondingly numbered. The description of these components and their operation is incorporated here. The embodiment of Figure 3 illustrates the apportionment of components in a different fashion between the plug-in card 26 and the cable connector system 28, with the modem 52 and telephone isolator circuit 54 placed into the plug-in card 26 rather than the cable connector system 28. This different apportionment can be made due to technical and/or economic considerations. Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims: Clairos 1. An interface device for a computer having a computer interface connector, comprising: a plug-in card, comprising a first card interface connector configured to engage the computer interface connector, a peripheral interface circuit communicating with the first card interface connector, an information storage memory communicating with the peripheral interface circuit, and a second card interface connector communicating with the peripheral interface; and a connector cable having a first housing at a first end thereof, the first housing having a first cable interface connector configured to engage the second card interface connector, a second housing at a second end thereof, the second housing having a second cable interface connector configured to engage a telephone jack, a telephone isolation circuit communicating with the telephone jack, and a modem communicating between the telephone isolation circuit and the peripheral interface circuit. 2. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the computer interface connector and the first card interface connector have a PCMCIA format. 3. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the second card interface connector and the first cable interface connector have an IC card/cable format. 4. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the second cable interface connector has an RJ11 format. 5. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the second cable interface connector is configured to engage a telephone jack. 6. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral interface circuit has a PCMCIA format. 7. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the information storage memory of the card is a silicon disk drive. 8. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the telephone isolation circuit and the modem are located within the second housing of the interface connector cable. 9. An interface device for a computer having a computer interface connector, comprising: a first device comprising first device means for storing information, first device means for separably connecting to the computer interface connector, first device means for communicating information from the first device means for storing information to the computer through the first device means for separably connecting, and first device means for separably connecting the first device means for storing information to another device; and a second device comprising second device means for separably connecting to an external information-transmitting unit, second device means for communicating with the external information-transmitting unit through the second device means for separably connecting, and 5 second device means for separably connecting the second device means for communicating with the first device means for separably connecting to another device. 10. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the 10 first device means for storing information includes a random access memory. 11. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the first device means for storing information 15 includes a mass storage device. 12. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the first device means for separably connecting to the computer interface connector includes a portion of 20 a PCMCIA connector. 13. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the first device means for communicating information includes a PCMCIA interface circuit. 14. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the 25 second device is in the form of a cable having a first housing at a first end of the cable and a second housing at a second end of the cable. 15. The interface device of claim 14, wherein the second device means for separably 30 connecting the second device means for communicating with the first device means for separably connecting to another device is located in the first housing, and the second device means for separably ,35 connecting to an external information-transmitting unit and the second device means for communicating with the external information-transmitting unit through the second device means for separably connecting are both located in the second housing. 16. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the second device means for separably connecting to an external information-transmitting unit includes a telephone jack connector. 17. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the second device means for communicating with the external information-transmitting unit through the second device means for separably connecting includes a modem. 18. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the second device means for communicating with the external information-transmitting unit through the second device means for separably connecting further includes a telephone isolation circuit. 19. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the second device means for separably connecting the second device means for communicating with the first device means for separably connecting to another device includes a portion of an IC card/cable connector. 20. An interface device for a computer having a computer interface connector, comprising a plug-in card and a separable cable connector system, there being located in the plug-in card and cable connector system a first card interface connector configured to engage the computer interface connector; a peripheral interface circuit communicating with the first card interface connector; an information storage memory communicating with the peripheral interface circuit; a second card interface connector communicating with the peripheral interface; a first housing at a first end of the cable connector system, the first housing having a first cable interface connector configured to engage the second card interface connector; a second housing at a second end of the cable connector system, the second housing having a second cable interface connector; a modem communicating with the peripheral interface circuit; and an isolation circuit disposed between the second cable interface connector and the modem and permitting data communication between the second cable interface connector and the modem.

Inventors: PERKINS CARL, PERKINS, CARL
Applicants: NEW MEDIA CORP, NEW MEDIA CORPORATION
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G06F1
IPC codes: G06F13